A large natural gas reserve called the Haynesville Shale has increased the number of storage tanks in DeSoto Parish. / Mike Silva/The Times

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That offer is $8,750 per acre if 90 percent of the Dogwood community in Haughton signs leases with the company to develop possible underlying natural gas pockets called Haynesville Shale under their properties.

When making their recommendation, Dogwood Homeowners Association members said people kept calling and asking what to do.

"So we had a meeting and negotiated and our best deal was with Twin Cities," Judd said.

The Twin Cities deal includes a 25 percent royalty with a three-year lease and a two-year option.

"All are three-year leases with a two-year option," said Jennifer Wright, Twin Cities Development community liaison.

The Haynesville Shale is shale as the subsurface source of natural gas, according to information from M.B. Kumar, Office of Conservation geologist administrator.

The shale is a rock formation mainly composed of consolidated clay-size particles deposited and buried in the north Louisiana geological basin more than 170 million years ago. It's characterized by ultra-low permeability in contrast with the conventional sandstone/limestone reservoir rocks that have high permeability.

In geological basins outside Louisiana, gas shales have been one of the hottest plays in the United States for gas production from depths above 8,500 feet. The Haynesville Shale, however, entails well drilling below 10,000 feet.

"It contains a lot of natural gas that could be easily released by fracturing that. It requires special technology that they are now using," Kumar said.

At an earlier public information meeting in Shreveport, Mayor Cedric Glover said natural gas leasing could be a great opportunity to local and area communities, not exclusive to Shreveport-Bossier City.

The Barnett Shale in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, area is reported as encompassing 30 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, he said, while the Haynesville Shale — within which Dogwood community lies — is estimated to comprise three times that size, adding up to about 90 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

A panelist at the recent Shreveport Haynesville Shale meeting, Kassi Fitzgerald, a Stonewall neighborhood leader, advised residents to investigate oil and gas companies before signing any leases. "Some of these companies, if you investigate, you'll find a number of lawsuits. Some you'll find good reputations."

But Judd said she feels certain Twin Cities Development is doing things right.

Twin Cities Development has a partnership with Chesapeake Energy, which discovered the Haynesville Shale and is said to be the most active driller in the United States.

"Out of all the companies that approached us, they seemed to be concerned about our welfare," Judd said.

She said she thinks it's a fair deal. "A lot of the companies have pulled out, and you can only negotiate if someone is interested."